About the district

Salinas Union High School District is located in Monterey County, California

Salinas Union High School District is located in Monterey County in salinas, California. It is located in the 20th largest county in California. According to the 2010 United States Census, Salinas is home to 150,441 residents.[1]

Demographics

Salinas underperformed in comparison to the rest of California in terms of higher education achievement in 2011 as well as median household income and percentage of residents living below the poverty level. The United States Census Bureau found that 13.1% of Salinas residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 30.5% for California as a whole. The median household income in Salinas was $50,808 compared to $61,400 for the state of California. The poverty rate in Lynwood was 20.8% compared to 15.3% for the entire state.[1]

Note: The United States Census Bureau considers "Hispanic or Latino" to be a place of origin, not a race. Therefore, the Census allows citizens to report both their race and that they are from a "Hispanic or Latino" place of origin simultaneously. As a result, the percentages in each column of the racial demographics table will exceed 100 percent. Each column will add up to 100 percent after removing the "Hispanic or Latino" place of origin percentages, although rounding by the Census Bureau may make the total one or two tenths off from being exactly 100 percent.[4] This Ballotpedia page provides a more detailed explanation of how the Census Bureau handles race and ethnicity in its surveys.

Method of board member selection

Salinas Union High School District School Board consists of seven members, all of whom are elected to four year terms. All board members represent one of seven geographic areas of the district. Board member terms are staggered so that at least three members, but no more than four are to be elected each odd numbered year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. There are no primary elections. Four seats were up for election on November 5, 2013. The three remaining seats are up for election on November 3, 2015.[5]

Trustee Area 7

Election results

On November 5, 2013 Phillip G. Tabera, Lila Cann and Eva Marie Martinez were elected to the Salinas Union High School District Board of Education. No candidates filed seeking election for the Trustee Area 2 seat.

Salinas Union High School District Board of Education, Trustee Area 3 General Election, 2013

Endorsements

Phillip Tabera, Evamarie Martinez and Lila Cann received official endorsements from the Salinas Valley Federation of Teachers and district chapter of the California School Employees Association.[7] Fernando R. Elizondo received official endorsements from Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Central Coast Builders Association and Salinas Valley Leadership Group.[8]

Past elections

2011

In 2011, three seats on the Salinas Union High School District Board of Trustees were unopposed. Patty Padilla, Kathryn Ramirez and Cheryl Larison won these elections by default.

What was at stake?

Four seats were up for election on November 5, 2013. One seat was up for election in Trustee Areas 2, 3, 5 and 7. No candidates filed for the Trustee Area 2 seat.

Issues

Recent improvement

Salinas Union High School District earned $2.7 million from the state of California in order to implement the new Common Core standards. The district has also seen increases in graduation rates and decreases in dropout rates, while offering employee groups and administrators pay raises. Music and art classes are now offered in every school. The district is also experiencing an increase in enrollment that will require the district to decide whether they will build a fifth high school.[9]

Key deadlines

The following dates were key deadlines for the Salinas Union High School District election in 2013:[10]

Deadline

Event

July 15, 2013

First day to file a petition of candidacy

August 9, 2013

Close of filing period for petition of candidacy

October 21, 2013

Last day to register to vote in school election

October 29, 2013

Final day to apply to vote by mail

November 5, 2013

Election Day

Additional elections on the ballot

The ballot for the November 5, 2013 election in Monterey County also featured elections for local and municipal positions, such as elections for Community College Board of Directors and the Water Management District.[11]